My Last Letter Home

I feel really weird writing my last letter home.  The first thing I wish to write is my gratitude for everyone who has made this mission possible.  I have no idea where the money came from month to month to have me here on the mission.  I have received so many cards and letters, mostly from family, to encouragement and love that have helped me to keep moving forward.  It has been a blessing to be here.  I know that if there is a will there is a way.  I have been blessed by so many who have helped me since the days of primary to get me here to this point in which I am counting my blessing to know that God does exist and that he loves all of his children, even those here in Spain.  I have been raised by goodly parents like Nephi and have been blessed to have the restored gospel in my home since birth.  Many people have no idea what they are missing by not taking a minute and listening to 2 missionaries from the Lord.  I know that this church is true through the struggles that we pass because of our journey through mortality.  The mission has taught me many things that I will never forget.  My mission has made me a more patient, loving, obedient, faithful, knowledgeable, worthy, spiritual, hard working, Christlike centered disciple of the Lord.  I give my hat off (if I had one) to those how have been the blessing of making this mission a reality.  I pray that the Lord will forever bless you for your sacrifice.

Random Thoughts:

Right now I am emailing from a computer store, claro, and downloading the pictures that I have on my ipad to my usb so I can take them home and show you all.

We were passing by one of the pueblos this past week we have in our area and we were walking during medio dia and there was no one out.  We passed by a skate park and it was CLEAN.  For spain it was clean and not even a leaf on the ground.  I have to avoid dog poop in the streets but I found nothing in this park.  

We walked through another pueblo this past week contacting but no one was there because they all work in Barcelona.  we walked past a fresh cut lawn.  I miss cutting the grass.....

We were in our piso and were just leaving to go proselyte/work and we got into our elevator and a woman was in it.  We live on the top floor and she lives on the 4th.  We go down the elevator and stop at the 3rd because someone rang the elevator.  The door opens up and an old woman with a big tray of spaghetti things gets in, but decides not because of the 3 of us.  Fun moments as missionaries.

We had a long hot week in the streets with no one listening to us, but we can´t say we didn´t try to warn our fellow men, like President Dayton would say.  We worked hard.

WE found the "Urim-Tummim".  It was a store we found in Cerdanyola, one of our pueblos, as we went knocking doors.

We were also in Cerdanyola when we walked past a building and heard a square dance song.  It was weird.

We were walking one day and we saw 8 spanish girls up the street coming down and I said " red rover, red rover, send 8 girls right over", but we chickened out in the end and walked around them.

Last week the YW president here in Sabadell lost the last of her brothers and had already lost her parents making her the last member of her family on earth.  To make it more interesting, she is the only member of her family to be a member of the church.  She said that she would have loved to see her family accept the gospel here on earth but she´ll have to do the work for them in the temple, something she is happy to do but would have rather seen them enjoy the gospel here with her.  She gave a wonderful testimony of the gospel and plan of salvation and that families can be together forever.

Well Family I am almost about up with time.  I love the blessing it is to serve here in Spain and be part of this wonderful, holy work of God.  I am without words right know.  I feel like my head is in the clouds.  I feel like I have another normal week next week, like nothing has changed, but it won´t.  My time is up.  The whistle is almost going to be blown.  I will have to say goodbye to the great memories that I have of this country.  As I have walked the streets of spain speaking Castellano I have come closer to dad´s side of the family.  At long last I can speak to Abuelo y concer más de Abuela por medio de las historias de la familia.  Estoy muy agradecido por este oportunidad para enseñar el evangelio de Jesucristo.  I know that God lives and answers our prayers.  I know that Jesus Christ is our savior and redeemer.  I know that Joseph Smith saw God the Father and Jesus Christ and through Joseph Smith, the Church has been restored to the earth.  Our evidence to the world is the Book of Mormon, another testament of Jesus Christ. I know this book is true and that We can come closer to our Heavenly Father by reading and studying this book.

I love you all so very much and Hope you a happy week and I will see you very soon.

Con mucho amor de un misionero de la misión de Barcelona España,

Élder Gonzalez